Systems and methods for percutaneous suture delivery

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for percutaneously suturing tissue. An elongated deployment member having a guide member coaxially disposed over a shaft member may be used to carry a needle deployment member. The needle deployment member may be carried at a distal end of the elongated deployment member and include a plurality of needles releasably secured to the needle deployment member, wherein each needle is routed coaxially within the distal end of the needle deployment member. The needle deployment member may further include a needle pusher driven by a link coaxially disposed within the shaft member, wherein the needle pusher is configured to advance each needle through the distal end of the needle deployment member and coaxially over the proximal end of the needle deployment member to position the plurality of needles at a piercing angle in a proximal direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A suture delivery device for percutaneously suturing tissue comprising:
 an elongated deployment member having a guide member coaxially disposed over a shaft member; 
 a needle deployment member carried at a distal end of the elongated deployment member, the needle deployment member having a proximal end, a distal end, a lower band and an upper band, the lower band being positioned at the distal end of the needle deployment member at a distance from a position of the upper band at the proximal end of the needle deployment member; 
 a plurality of needles releasably secured to the needle deployment member, wherein each needle is routed coaxially within the distal end of the needle deployment member; and 
 a needle pusher driven by a link coaxially disposed within the shaft member, the needle pusher being configured to advance each needle proximally through the distal end of the needle deployment member and coaxially over the proximal end of the needle deployment member, causing the plurality of needles to assume a piercing angle in a proximal direction prior to engaging the tissue to be sutured, the needle pusher being separate from the lower band and positioned distal to the lower band before the plurality of needles are advanced by the needle pusher during operation of the device. 
 
     
     
       2. The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the lower band and upper band remains constant when the plurality of needles are advanced by the needle pusher during operation of the device. 
     
     
       3. The suture delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the needle pusher is configured to retain a non-piercing end of each of the plurality of needles and position a piercing end of each of the plurality of needles underneath the lower band. 
     
     
       4. The suture delivery device of  claim 3 , wherein the needle pusher is configured to cause the plurality of needles to extend over the upper band and protrude out at an angle with respect to the shaft member when the plurality of needles are advanced by the needle pusher during operation of the device. 
     
     
       5. The suture delivery device of  claim 4 , further comprising a suture catheter secured to the distal end of the elongated deployment member, wherein the suture catheter is configured to carry suture material that may be threaded through the plurality of needles. 
     
     
       6. The suture delivery device of  claim 5 , wherein the suture catheter is secured to the elongated deployment member by a hinge allowing rotation in one direction. 
     
     
       7. The suture delivery device of  claim 6 , wherein the elongated deployment member has a handle at the proximal end. 
     
     
       8. The suture delivery device of  claim 7 , wherein the link is actuated by a trigger mechanism positioned in the handle. 
     
     
       9. The suture delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the needle pusher is attached to a distal end of the lower band. 
     
     
       10. The suture delivery device of  claim 9 , wherein the distance between the lower band and upper band decreases when the plurality of needles are advanced by the needle pusher during operation of the device.